Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Artificial intelligence has inarguably become a hot-button topic in the past year with many having their reservations about fully embracing the rapidly growing technology for fear that it may make humans less relevant.
In contrast, the newest interactive exhibit at The Leonardo, "Into the Mind of Artificial Intelligence," envisions how mankind and AI could instead form a symbiotic relationship that would lead to a Utopian society.
"It feels to me that we've done a lot of big shows in this museum," said Alexandra Hess, the executive director of the Salt Lake art, culture and science museum, about the importance she says the newest exhibit holds in terms of being about something that everybody alive today should learn about. "This one feels like the most important in terms of the topic it addresses, so we're thrilled as a venue that we can bring something like this here."
The Leonardo describes the "Into the Mind of Artificial Intelligence" exhibit as an immersive education experience meant to imbue visitors with a working understanding of what AI is and how it is actively transforming how humans live and work. While popular media and valid superstitions cause some to be weary of the rapidly growing capabilities of AI, The Leonardo's newest exhibit aims to show visitors how humanity could flourish through the help of rapidly evolving AI technology.
A.I. is emerging as one of the most transformative technologies of our time.
–Manish Parashar, University of Utah professor
"A year ago, I probably would've said it scares me to death," said Justin Anderson, The Leonardo's director of marketing and events, reflecting on how working on the exhibit has altered the way he views AI technology. "But, as I've helped in the development of this exhibit and experimented with some of the tools myself, the possibilities are really, really striking — I think it's amazing to see what AI could do and how it can help democratize technology and access to some of these concepts across the board."
Democratizing AI technology and access is a driving theme for the "Into the Mind of Artificial Intelligence" exhibit — the creators of the exhibit believe that we can utilize AI technology for our benefit rather than our demise. The immersive exhibit consists of an abstract yet informative 40-minute projector light show and an educational component at the latter half of the exhibit where visitors can peruse exhibits that highlight the history of AI technology and get the chance to experiment with AI through interactive exhibits.
"AI is emerging as one of the most transformative technologies of our time," said Manish Parashar, a celebrated expert in the field and presidential professor at the Kalhert School of Computing at the University of Utah, speaking at the opening of the brand-new exhibit Friday morning about how important it is that we democratize the development of AI technology so that humanity can keep ethical and moral boundaries in place while working to further advance the already rapidly advancing technology.
The exhibit's immersive light show treats visitors to a crash course of what AI technology is capable of, taking the narrative structure of following a single AI from its initial creation to how it ends up helping humanity build a Utopian society — while illustrating how the AI progressively grows in its sophistication and its capabilities through the effective mass-intake of any and all information it has access to.
Technology aids humanity, it doesn't replace it. Our destiny is of an enlightened coexistence.
– AI narration of The Leonardo's newest exhibit
The AI's computer-generated voice narrates through the entire show, walking visitors through how AI technology could serve to help guide mankind through solving a variety of problems ranging from infrastructural issues in cities to solving worldwide economic hardship.
"This is such an important technology and we can't do it in isolation," Parashar said; it will take a worldwide community effort to ensure that AI technology is developed in a way that it remains a force that proves beneficial to our communities and future generations. "We have to do this in a way that we are engaging and having a dialogue with the community and doing this in a way that is open and transparent."
The Leonardo is hopeful that the new exhibit serves to bring knowledge about the rapidly expanding field of technology to the masses and demonstrate that, through involvement and interest, people can help ensure that the further development of AI technology ends up being a good thing for humanity rather than ending up being something they should fear.
"Technology aids humanity, it doesn't replace it," said the voice of the AI narrating the exhibit, as it outlined to visitors the Utopian outcomes it says could come to fruition if mankind and AI technology work together. "Our destiny is of an enlightened coexistence."
The pure intentions behind the exhibit can be heard through some of the lines spoken by the AI during the exhibit's light show that imply that AI can be something mankind can collaborate with to build a better society and way of living. Overall, however, the focus of the exhibit is to teach visitors how and why AI is one of the most impactful technologies of our time and inspire them to get involved in the development of the rapidly advancing technology.
"There is no grander topic on the mind of the public, and AI has the potential to shape and touch every single person's life on the planet," said Anderson, speaking about what excites him the most about the exhibit, which will be officially opened to the public Saturday. "To me, this is very provocative content and a great new exhibit that will hopefully generate some fun discussion and raise awareness so that we can approach this developing technology with the respect and ethical considerations it deserves."
